Kicking it off with a photo of a Chinese Elm (in honor of the Chinese New Year), Ulmus parvifolia, that has been in training since 1929. Height is over 3'. We have been watching this specimen at the Gardens for several decades.

Their bonsai are in a Winter holding area that is quite cool, thus unfortunately I had to photograph it through glass, thus the reflections ... and sorry for the shadows, every single bonsai had an upright shadow running right up the trunk, what are the odds.

I've raised bonsai twice, and both times they were killed by my proxy neglecting them while I was on vacation. I'm planning on starting up again maybe this year, but this time with an automated watering system so that doesn't happen again.

20 miles south of seattle is a great bonsai collection I like to go look at:

I saw a truly stunning Bonsai collection when I was in Japan in 2004, but after taking 1 photo, was told that photos were not allowed. Will try to dig the one up--it was an incredible sight.

Another fantastic collection I've seen was at the National Arboretum which has a bonsai collection that includes many diplomatic gifts from Japan--truly priceless ancient trees.

Unfortunately, my first real forays into bonsai have not gone well. Two lovely little trees--a Korean lilac (smaller leafed than the usual lilac seen here in California, and perfect for bonsai, and a little valley oak--were killed by an industrious little squirrel who girdled them both as they enjoyed some outdoor time on my balcony.

Would like to try again but my present rental is not well set up for them. Hope to correct that when I can actually buy a place.

About a year ago, Borders had one of those giant-sized books on Bonsai on sale for ~$10. It was partly a "how-to," but regardless of the words, the pictures were well worth the cost!

Anyway, when Spring rolls around, I will be attempting to convert two of my plants into bonsai -- a jade and a christmas cactus. I know those aren't traditional bonsai plants, but they are plants I have proven to myself over the last 2-4 years that I can keep them alive.....

I'm curious, though, if anybody has photos of bonsai of those plants...?

Although I have been out of the bonsai loop for a while, names like John Naka have been prominent for decades.

Jade plants are like natural bonsai, though not tradtional. They just natually grow into bonsai shapes with think trunks and in a very short time.

debunix wrote:I saw a truly stunning Bonsai collection when I was in Japan in 2004, but after taking 1 photo, was told that photos were not allowed. Will try to dig the one up--it was an incredible sight.

Another fantastic collection I've seen was at the National Arboretum which has a bonsai collection that includes many diplomatic gifts from Japan--truly priceless ancient trees.

Wow, that is unfortunate about the not being permitted to take photos, although I can sort of understand ... I really don't. As long as the photos were for personal enjoyment, why not???!!!

Longwood Gardens clearly posts that photographing is permitted for personal enjoyment, and not for sale or gain. This seems more than fair.

Having passed by the National Arboretum and knowing about it since it pre-inception, I really have to get there and check it out! Not just for the bonsai collection which is worth the trip on its own, but also for the arboretum as well.

I really want to try bonsai, but I have a bad tendency to kill plants. I even once killed a cactus by watering it too little! But I've decided that when I finish my PhD, I will start with a simple bonsai tree and try my best to keep it alive.

Also, next weekend there is their annual Camellia Show. We went yesterday to stroll through their camellia forest; practically every japonica is in full bloom. It's quite spectacular. Come see some rare imported and locally bred relatives of the tea plant showing their stuff!